Chapter 17

Holding onto her skepticism, Xiyun truly brought up the idea of having Qingyuan return first when she went back to the room with Tu Shanxi.

"Now that we've reached Fierce Fang Mountain and you've already inspected the area, there's absolutely no danger here. Having the Immortal Lord remain is really an overuse of his talents," she said, watching Tu Shanxi’s expression closely. When Tu Shanxi lowered her gaze, Xiyun understood immediately that her proposal wouldn’t succeed.

Just as expected, Tu Shanxi looked at her with a hint of guilt after she finished speaking. "Xiyun, I understand everything you’ve said, and I know you still have some reservations about him. But Fierce Fang Mountain isn’t as safe as you think. Qingyuan can’t leave just yet."

As she spoke, Tu Shanxi took Xiyun's hand and promised, "Don’t worry. As soon as the hidden dangers here are resolved, I’ll send him back right away—not a second longer than necessary."

With Tu Shanxi’s words, Xiyun could hardly object. If she protested now, her sister would surely see her as childish—an impression hard to reverse in the future.

"Whatever you say, sister. I’ll do as you wish."

Seeing Xiyun so considerate, willing even to set aside her grudges for her sake, Tu Shanxi’s heart was filled with gratitude. "Good. Let’s rest now. After such a long day—and your body only just recovered—you must be exhausted."

The two lay side by side on bamboo mats, with the faint sound of cicadas drifting through the air. Before long, Tu Shanxi grew sleepy and their conversation dwindled.

Once she heard Tu Shanxi’s breathing steady, Xiyun carefully turned to see her already asleep, then pulled the blanket higher. Though the day was hot, the night’s chill dropped several degrees; a careless moment could mean catching cold by morning.

Blanket adjusted, Xiyun gazed at Tu Shanxi’s face, so close she could almost touch it. Drawn in as if under a spell, Xiyun edged nearer until the space between them vanished.

Breathing in the subtle fragrance from Tu Shanxi, Xiyun finally leaned contentedly against her and closed her eyes.

Sister, if only we could live like this forever.

No Qingyuan, no annoying Feng Qing—just the two of us, quiet and undisturbed by the world.

Such days... how blissful they would be.

As she thought this, a smile curled at her lips.

---

The next morning, at the hour of Si, Tu Shanxi and Xiyun had finished tidying up when Qingyuan was already prepared to set out.

Beside the deep green bamboo stood a man in white, slender in build, with a giant sword strapped to his back that nearly concealed half his figure, making him appear almost pitiable.

Hearing the bamboo gate slide open, the man turned. Seeing Tu Shanxi, a smile lit his face. "Senior Sister."

"Qingyuan, are you going alone?"

He nodded. "Don’t worry, Senior Sister. This level of giant python can’t harm me. You and Xiyun can walk around for now—I’ll return within half an hour, at the latest."

Tu Shanxi considered, then said, "I’d better go with you. Though my cultivation isn’t high now, don’t forget, I still have my treasures—maybe they’ll be useful."

"This..." Qingyuan hesitated. Tu Shanxi had ventured through countless secret realms and collected many treasures over the years; perhaps some might indeed come in handy.

Moreover, the look of anticipation on his senior sister’s face—if he refused, she would surely be disappointed.

Fine, if she wants to come, let her. He could protect her, after all.

With this thought, Qingyuan nodded. "Then come with me, Senior Sister. But remember this: no matter what danger we encounter, always stay behind me and keep yourself safe. Understand?"

"Rest assured. This life was hard-won by you all—I’ll protect myself and not let your efforts go to waste."

Upon hearing they were heading out together, Xiyun felt as if the sky were falling.

"Sister, what are you going to do? Why not take me with you?"

Qingyuan politely refused, "Our journey is fraught with danger, and your cultivation is lower. If you come with us and face peril, I fear I won’t be able to protect you in time. So please, remain here. We’ll return within half an hour at most."

Xiyun wasn’t swayed, clinging to Tu Shanxi’s hand and pleading repeatedly. She thought, after last night’s refusal, her sister wouldn’t turn her down again today.

But unexpectedly, Tu Shanxi’s resolve was even firmer than Qingyuan’s. "Xiyun, this is truly dangerous. We’re leaving you behind for your own safety. Besides, this concerns the lives of all creatures on Fierce Fang Mountain—it’s very important. Stay here, and we’ll return as soon as possible."

---

Hearing the seriousness in her voice, Xiyun didn’t dare delay further. "Alright, Sister Tu Shan, please come back soon. And Immortal Lord, I hope you protect my sister—don’t let anyone be disappointed."

"Rest easy, Xiyun. Even if it costs me my life, I won’t let Senior Sister suffer a single scratch."

Tu Shanxi: We’re only dealing with a giant python, not some peerless demon—why all this tension?

Her true intent was to see if, once the python was dealt with, there might be a core or something to help Xiyun recover. She had no intention of fighting.

With that, she bid Xiyun farewell, stepped out of the bamboo grove, and followed Qingyuan down a winding trail.

Qingyuan led the way, explaining the precautions. "This path leads to a vast lake. As you approach, the ground will tremble—it’s the creature trying to intimidate us."

"Did it appear at all since last night?"

Qingyuan shook his head, relaxed. "That leaves two possibilities: one, it’s in seclusion and can’t show itself, so the intimidation comes from an array or a doppelganger; two, it sensed our cultivation and doesn’t dare confront us, so it uses this method to warn us, hoping we’ll let it go."

"Only one thing needs clarification," Tu Shanxi replied, meeting Qingyuan’s gaze. Both smiled. "The golden core."

Following Qingyuan’s description, they soon spotted the lake—its waters so dark blue they seemed almost black, as if conjured from nothing, intimidating just to behold.

The moment they stepped forward, the ground shook violently beneath their feet, accompanied by a distant roar, warning them not to advance.

But neither paid it any mind; they cast their floating spell and walked step by step across the water, probing the giant python’s limits.

As they drew closer, the tremors intensified. Qingyuan, with his deep cultivation, had no fear; though Tu Shanxi’s power was greatly diminished, her experience was vast, and she dismissed the disturbance.

As they were about to reach the center of the lake, Tu Shanxi asked curiously, "Is the python truly in seclusion? We’re nearly at the heart of this array—does it not fear I’ll break it?"